Japan and Hong Kong are set to face each other in match no. 5 of the ongoing 05 edition of the Women’s Twenty20 (T20) East Asia Cup. The match will be played at Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou, China on the 27th of May, 2023, at 6:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
With a win and a loss in the tournament, Japan has maintained a 50% success rate so far. On the other hand, Hong Kong has taken the lead in the three-team points table, securing two wins while having suffered a lone loss at the hands of China.
Squads:
Japan – Mai Yanagida (C), Ahilya Chandel, Ayumi Fujikawa, Kiyo Fujikawa, Hinase Goto, Haruna Iwasaki, Elena Kusuda-Nairn, Yukino Nakayama, Akari Nishimura, Erika Oda, Kurumi Ota, Seika Sumi, Nonoha Yasumoto, Minami Yoshioka
Hong Kong – Kary Chan (C), Maryam Bibi, Betty Chan, Charlotte Chan, ShingChan, Amanda Cheung, Hiu Ying Cheung (WK), Tammy Chu, Cindy Ho, Emma Lai, Heiley Liu, Shanzeen Shahzad (WK), Alison Siu, Yee Shan To
Players to watch out:
Erika Oda
The 35-year-old batter in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), in 15 outings has scored 265 runs, at an average of 20.38, and has got the highest of 46*. Erika has looked good in the series with scores of 25 and 46* against her name.
Kurumi Ota
The 35-year-old pacer, in T20Is, has been handy scoring 10 runs in an outing, while has struck 4 wickets in a couple of games at an economy rate of 5.62. Kurumi has been consistent in the series registering bowling figures of 2/18 and 2/27.
Yee Shan To
The 29-year-old all-rounder, in T20Is, in 15 outings has scored 143 runs, while has struck 7 wickets in 9 innings and has got the best bowling figures of 3/9. Surprisingly, Yee Shan To didn’t feature in the side’s opener, while in the 2nd game contributed scoring 17 runs.
Betty Chan
The 34-year-old all-rounder, in T20Is, in 22 innings has scored 84 runs, while in 42 innings has struck 54 scalps, with best bowling figures of 4/13. In 3 outings this series, the ever-impressive, Chan has produced bowling figures of 1/20, 2/6, and 3/13.
Pitch:
The 22 yards at Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou showcases a deliberate sluggishness, offering an advantage to the bowlers, particularly the spinners. Batters face a tough battle, as reflected in the average scores that tend to stay in the 70s.
Weather:
Despite a cloudy overhead, the probability of rain is minimal and the forecast promises a complete game of cricket at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field. The temperature is forecasted to be around 28°C, with light winds and a humidity level of 67%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Hiu Ying Cheung, Akari Nishimura, Erika Oda, Yee Shan To, Cindy Ho, Kary Chan, Amanda Cheung, Betty Chan, Alison Siu, Kurumi Ota, Elena Kusuda-Nairn
Match details:
Date – May 27, 2023
Time – 6:00 AM IST
Venue – Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou, China
Broadcast – Access live scores for all the games of the series on the FanCode app and website.